Seriouss duo?
by RuscanShota
Summary: (GERPAN) Kiku Honda is Ludwig Beilschmidts' secretary in his large business, the two having been work pals for quite sometime. What happens when Ludwig gets sick and their 'just work friends' relationship starts to grow? (Hints of Prupan that doesn't happen ehe) (Rated T just encase)(warning for future mentions of abuse)
1. Intro

**A/N: A bit of a introduction rather than a full chapter, hopefully I'll get this done quickly w was gonna be a one shot but oops got real long** **w''**

**Enjoy~!**

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Snow flakes fell from the sky outside an office window, the glass covered the thinnest sheet's of ice. It was mid December up in Canada, a cold scent of winter in the air. Kiku Honda was one of a few that did not enjoy this scent. He despised the cold, it always got him sick. He had lived in Japan until he was fourteen before moving to Canada, and ever since he could never comprehend how such weather can even occur.

But.. He pushed through it. The jobs were well-paying though he could never really afford to move back to Japan if he wanted to, so he just stuck with what he had. The place he lived in was an apartment, a moderately small one with one bedroom, bath, kitchen and living room. Homey, aside from a few noisy neighbors and the absence of company (other than his cat, but the animal was so unpredictable at times, it wasn't comforting to say the least), but nothing that couldn't be dealt with.

Kiku was soon back to what he was doing inside said office building, rooting through papers and faxed messages. He was a secretary, working for his boss , a man that earned lots of respect and loyalty the hard way; through hard work. He was the head of a well known brand company, so he made quite the pretty penny.

As his secretary, Kiku earned a fair share of money as well. He paid most of his money though into paying off his student loans and other college bills, apartment rent and other necessary things. In the end he ended up with some good extra money, which he used to bus to work or on lunches if needed.

His boss and him were in a... more business like relationship. It was complicated. Mr. Beilschmidt always admired Kiku's fast and smart abilities in the work field, admiring those aspects with curt nods and shoulder pats in approval, of course. Kiku tended to commend his bosses serious demeanor and deep thinking ability, which was a good thing for a boss to have.

The two never really got intimate and personal. Every time Kiku would think about getting closer to his boss, he quickly dismissed the thought. He had never seen a soft side to the man, and from the rumors and gossip tossed carelessly throughout the office, it seems no one else had either.

On this particular day, Kiku was seated at his desk, typing away at a key board. He was awaiting Ludwig to come and give him directions or buzz him from his office, but it'd already been ten minutes passed when he should've done that, so Kiku was getting a bit wary. Ludwig was never one to miss a day of work, even if he were sick, he'd at least bring his work home so he could finish it there.

"Hey there small-fry," Kiku was startled out of his thought process as a certain German's voice boomed in the small room from the doorway, Kiku tearing his eyes from the keyboard quickly. There stood Gilbert, Ludwig's well known boisterous brother. Kiku wasn't too fond of the man at times but they did share a somewhat strong friendship.

"Gilbert? Where is your brother?" Kiku asked, Gilbert pouting a bit from his greeting not being returned,but went back to his cheery attitude swiftly.

"He's sick, and I made sure he didn't bring his work home this time. The guy overworked himself to the point of catching the fever, so I'm taking over for him," Gilbert answered, Kiku going stiff. Gilbert wasn't exactly the most... well, he was just one to goof off whenever given the chance. He was capable of being serious, he just chose not to.

"Ah, really? Could you tell him that I hope he gets better?" Kiku hummed, knowing he probably wouldn't get the chance to say so himself. Gilbert merely snickered and waved a dismissive hand.

"Nah! You can do it yourself, I'm sending YOU to take care of him," the elder male replied, earning a disgruntled look from Kiku.

"What? why not you?" Demanded the Asian quickly, a bit confused but knowing faintly what Gilbert was hinting at, and boy did he not like it.

"Someone needs to house sit poor West, and someone needs to fill his job. Since I'm oh-so-talented, I'm qualified to take his position for awhile, while you can take a few vacation days on the house to take care of him," Gilbert explained, Kiku sinking down in his seat.

"...Why...?" Asked Kiku again in a, dare he say, whiny fashion. Gilbert couldn't help but laugh at the reply, coming over and putting his hands on Kiku's desk to loom over the smaller man.

"You and him have been buds for awhile, right? Haven't you been business partner for, what? five years now?" Gilbert inquired, Kiku leaning back in his chair away from Gilbert.

"Six, and just business partners. I've only been to his house once for a Christmas party. Why should our business relationship make me responsible for his health?" Kiku replied with a not-so-amused look, Gilbert pursing his lip.

"Well! You two need to get some bonding done, if you know what I mean," Gilbert said, raising a brow and smirking. Kiku stared at him for a moment in thought before his face darkened three shades of red.

"M-Mister Gilbert, if you keep acting like this then I won't go at all!" Kiku snapped, the German erupting with laughter at the reaction, bringing a hand to his own face.

"F-fine fine, so, you'll go?" Asked the still giggling man, Kiku sighing heavily and nodding a 'yes' to him.

"He cannot be sick for too long, right?" Kiku asked, Gilbert shrugging lightly.

"Luddy hardly ever gets sick, so he'll get over it soon... or not, he could be sick for weeks," Gilbert hummed, the man at the desk groaning lightly, making Gilbert giggle more.

"I'm just kidding," Gilbert chuckled in reassurance, managing to dart his hand out quick and sneak a hair ruffle to the Asian, who flinched and moved his head away, Gilbert pouting at this.

"I'll get going then," Kiku huffed, standing up to retrieve his things. He was still blushing up to his ears, just not as badly as before. Gilbert 'pffed' as he noticed this, not trying to laugh again.

"Luddy thinks you're adorable, y'know?" Gilbert suddenly blurted out, Kiku furrowing his brows and quickly turning his head away to hide his embarrassment.

"D-do not make up such lies," Kiku muttered, Gilbert pursing his lips, watching Kiku put away some papers.

"He does~! He told me himself, well, the lil' book he writes in did, but still Luddy can sacrifice ONE secret being told," Gilbert blabbered, Kiku sighing as he thought Gilbert was just trying to get him to blush more, if that were so he was very successful. Kiku grabbed his coat, a dark purple in color. He slipped it on, bottom of the coat reaching his thighs in length.

"Do not freeze out there little birdie, its minus-ten put there," Gilbert cooed as he straightened up, digging his hand into his own pocket. He pulled out a little key and set it on the desk.

"Use this to get in, west's probably sleeping. He's expecting you, though," continued the man was he turned and started towards the door, waving Goodbye with a a little 'good luck~!' before he left.

Once left alone, Kiku heaved a heavy sigh, not enjoying his situation. He was horrible at getting close to people, usually when he met someone, they found out where they stood with him and kept it like that, like mister Jones who he found to be a very nice friend. They often played video games and talked about latest games published. Since the American was involved with gaming companies, it was easy to get new things to play.

Gilbert though... he always kept trying to _push_ past the business-partners. Kiku had known Gilbert for as long as he did Ludwig, and he was always attempting to get closer or more intimate with him, which Kiku didn't like. He hasn't been touched or held or whatever in a caring fashion since he was a kid, and planned to keep it that way.

Kiku snatched the key off the desk, stuffing it in his pocket. He didn't want to think too deep about it. It was a topic he always didn't want to think about at all.


	2. Tuesday Bruiseday

**(( A/N: ahah fighting happens but its short w I promise next chapter will be cute and cuddly don't worry **

**enjoy~!))**

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Kiku was soon shuffling out the front door of the building, out into the freezing chills that P.E.I. had to offer. Kiku walked along the street side, watching cars rush by in the snowy streets and other people walk along the side walk.

Soon enough he stopped at a bus stop, getting out his change. Several freezing minutes passed before the bus arrived, Kiku boarding.

It wasn't long before he was walking up towards Ludwig's front door, slowing his pace. The house was a two-story home, painted a grey-blue color. A few trees hung around it, shadowing the house only slightly.

Kiku climbed the stairs up to the front door and unlocked it, knocking the snow off of his shoes before entering. He shuddered from the warmth hitting him,closing the door behind him.

The inside of the house was darkened, none of the lights turned on. That seemed average, seeing as it was still quite early in the morning. He looked around for any sign of the German being home, finding it too dark in the little entrance hall to see.

He took off his shoe's, setting them aside, not wanting to drag any dirt into Ludwig's house. Quietly he stepped along, peering about.

"Lu-" BAM! Cut off by a hard blow to the back of the head, Kiku stumbled forward, just barely catching himself on the wall. Drool ran down his chin from how hard the hit was, Kiku dazed but trying to hit back as to get away.

He struck out blindly behind him with his foot, nailing his attacker in the shin, a very off-balanced hit but it did send the person back a few steps. It was too dark to see in the narrow hall, Kiku trying to decipher one of the man's features, only able to see a strong build...

"L-" Cut off once more, Kiku was slammed in the face and another hit to his temple, sending him to the ground this time. He could feel the blood dribble down his chin from a busted lip, Kiku landing on his chest.

The attacker was indeed Ludwig, panting with clenched fists, in a defensive position. He was messy looking, hair a bit tattered and bags under his eyes. He had heard someone enter his house and when he went to see who it was, he didn't recognize them, due to his feverish daze and from how dark it was.

He backed off from the limp person laying on the floor, looking for the hallway's light, dragging his hand across the wall. He turned it on, looking down and spotting the one he attacked.

If he wasn't already so pale, he would've been white as a sheet, recognizing the figure sprawled out on the floor. He settled his fighting position for a moment, trying to figure out if this was another fever dream.

Once he figured it wasn't, he swore under his breath, going towards the Asian. Gilbert hadn't told him that anyone would be here, or at least he didn't remember if he did, so he had just acted on impulse.

He hesitantly fell to his knees by Kiku's body, looking him over from the back. He didn't seem to have a lot of damage done, though a bruise or two would form. Slowly and hesitantly he took Kiku's wrist and felt for a pulse, knowing he had hit him in the temple. He sighed in relief as he felt a steady pulse, turning Kiku over to examine the rest of the damage, holding his head softly with his hand as to not let him rest his head on the hard-wood floor.

Blood ran down the side of his face from the corner of his mouth, lip split. Ludwig winced as he knew it was his doing, feeling terrible now since his worker more than likely just came to check up on him.

He was hesitant to touch the Asian. The man had always had a very strict personal bubble, even shoulder touches would make him tense. Ludwig felt a tad invasive by being this close without Kiku conscious. He knew he couldn't just leave the poor guy on the floor, though.

Gently he slipped a hand under Kiku's knees, his other arm going up and around the young man's shoulders. Ludwig stood up with him with a small grunt, holding him bridal style.

Kiku was very lithe, easy to hold. It was a bit shocking to Ludwig, but he knew that Kiku had always been 'petit'. Ludwig carried him into his living room, a simple white-walled room with a couch, reclining chair and TV along with a large picture window with the drapes pulled shut.

Ludwig set Kiku softly down on the couch, the smaller man limp. Ludwig headed off to go retrieve a cloth to clean up the blood and an ice pack.

By the time Kiku came to, he was settled on his back on the furniture, icepack under a cloth like a pillow and the split in his lip no longer bleeding. He blinked his eyes open groggily, glancing around.

Ludwig flinched away as he had still be tending to the man, bringing his hand away as he had been holding a wet cloth to his temple. Kiku looked to Ludwig fast at this motion, the man quickly averting his gaze as to not seem like he was staring.

He cleared his throat. "K-Kiku, er, Mister Honda, I am sorry for attacking you, I didn't think that anyone was coming to my house, little less had the key," Ludwig explained, Kiku processing the information as he remembered what happened.

"I-it's ok, Mister Beilschmidt, I should've made my presence clear," Kiku replied, not blaming him. He would've reacted the same if someone he didn't know just came into his house without much warning. Well, maybe not so violently. Kiku put a palm to the couch to push himself up, Ludwig reaching and taking Kiku's wrist to stop him.

"I hit you in the temple, you'll be dizzy if you sit up, " Explained Ludwig, Kiku tensing under Ludwig's touch but nodding. Ludwig took his hand away upon the others discomfort.

"Ludwig, you should be in bed," Kiku stated, not wanting the situation focused on himself.

"I'll be fine, it is just a small fever," Ludwig tried to reassure, Kiku frowning at this response.

"A smalll fever can get worse if you're not in bed," Kiku informed, sitting up this time. He indeed got quickly dizzy, putting his palm to his temple, Ludwig trying to push Kiku back down by the shoulder but Kiku waved his hand off.

"Go to sleep, you need it to get better," Persisted the Asian, Ludwig sighing heavily as Kiku didn't seem to want to take no for an answer at all. He stood up from being on his knees by the couch.

"Fine, but you have to rest too, you cannot be walking around and risk hurting yourself," Ludwig replied sternly, Kiku faintly aware that Ludwig was trying to assert some dominance over him, seeing as the Asian was telling him what to do. Kiku nodded lightly, not wanting to but, for the sake of coming to some sort of compromise, he would.

Kiku motioned lightly for Ludwig to get going, the man lingering for a moment before doing as told and walking off towards his room down the hall. Kiku lowered himself back down on the couch, wincing lightly at the sting of his head. He curled up in his coat some to keep warm on the couch, closing his eyes to ado as told and rest up.

It was nearing six pm when he heard coughing and gagging coming from the hall, Kiku sitting silently and trying to think of what it could be. Once he remembered Ludwig was sick, he quickly opened his eyes and sat up so fast that his back popped, thankfully his injuries doing somewhat better so he didn't get too dizzy.

"Ludwig?" Kiku called as he hurried off into the hall, bathroom door ajar. The coughs died down, Kiku hurrying to the bathroom and peeking inside.

There Ludwig was, on his knees in front of the toilet, wearing the same clothes he had fallen asleep in; a simple light blue t-shirt and a pair of stripped pj-pants. Kiku paused as he wasn't sure what to do, go comfort the man or leave him be.

"K-kiku?" The raspy voice caused some surprise in Kiku, Ludwig sounding like a disgruntled child. The Asian hesitantly stepped over, giving Ludwig a gentle pat on the back.

"I'm here, don't worry," Kiku hushed, Ludwig panting lightly. Kiku left his side for just a moment, heading over to a shelf in the corner of the bathroom, grabbing a wash cloth. He got Ludwig to sit up before gently handing him the cloth to wipe his mouth off.

"Are you going to throw up again?" Kiku asked, Ludwig muttering a 'no'. Kiku reached out, taking Ludwig's free hand and helping him to his feet.

"Go back to bed, I'll be in there with water and a bucket in a moment," Kiku replied, Ludwig not having the energy to argue as he nodded and started off towards the bedroom, Kiku going to the kitchen to get what he said he would.

Ludwig sat himself in bed, just sitting on the side with his feet on the floor. He ran his fingers through his hair, sighing to himself as he felt awful- not sick, but getting Kiku involved with his sickness. He rubbed at his temples, trying to ease his pain, the cool air of the bedroom feeling somewhat good from the hot sweat he'd been in.

"Here," Ludwig blinked open his eyes, Kiku having come in without Ludwig noticing. He set down a cup of water on the nightstand as well as a bucket down on the floor.

"Thank you," The German muttered, taking the cup of water. Kiku gave a nod in response, settling his stance.

"I'm going to go out and get fever medication and a few things from my house," Kiku stated, in a somewhat more requesting way, unsure if Ludwig was ok with him leaving.

"Go ahead," hummed Ludwig, starting to lay down once more. He didn't want to keep Kiku here all day. He paused for a second before asking.

"Do you have a license?" Kiku blinked in surprise at the question, nodding his head. He had one, but he never got around to buying a car. It was just good to have as an ID and if he ever needed to rent a car.

"You can take my car, keys should be in the kitchen," Ludwig hummed. He was well aware Kiku took the bus everywhere, he didn't approve of it sometimes. Their little town wasn't the safest, packed with plenty of kidnappings and theft. though Ludwig never voiced his disapproval, usually just giving Kiku a worried or disgruntled look behind his back.

"er... Thank you mister Beilschmidt," Kiku somewhat uttered gratefully with a small bow of his head, the man grunting and starting to get comfortable in the bed once more. Kiku headed off hurriedly, going into the kitchen and grabbing the keys.

After getting dressed in his winter gear, he went into the garage, finding Ludwig's car there. It was a soft blue color, being small but was expected since Ludwig was usually the only one in it. Kiku inspected it for a moment before quietly heading over and unlocking it.

Soon enough he was on the road, hurrying to his apartment. Upon arrival, he parked the car in the lot and hurried inside. He knew that if he was going to stay at Ludwig's house, he ought to get a change of clothing, he also already had some medication that would work to help Ludwig get better.

The inside of his apartment was painted a cream color, living room nicely furnished with a couch and chair, book case in the corner. The kitchen was a bit messy, dishes not done yet, though besides that it looked fine. Kiku hurried past these rooms and into his own room.

Inside, he retrieved some clothing to change into and changed into something a little less formal, seeing as he hadn't changed from his work suit. He wore a simple navy-blue turtle neck sweater and a pair of black jeans. It was warm, good for the cold weather.

He snatched a jaw-string bag from his closet, packing the clothes and the medicine he needed, along with a few other things he might need. He left hurriedly, not wanting to keep Ludwig waiting. He drove back to Ludwig's house, pulling back in the garage before getting out and heading inside. He slipped off his shoe's and coat, putting them away before walking quietly in the house.

He made sure to make his presence known, though, not wanting another punch on the face, knowing he was still a bit bruised from Ludwig's hard punch. He headed down the hall and to Ludwig's room, opening the door a crack.

The man was still heavily sleeping, rolled onto his side. He clutched a pillow to his chest, curled around it. His usual hard expression was soft, a better look than usual to Kiku. He usually just saw the stern, serious looking business man that Ludwig was.

Inviting himself into the room, Kiku set himself to work. He made sure to be gentle as to not wake the German or startle him in his slumber. He first pressed the back of Ludwig's forehead. It felt hot, but not scorching. Gently he pulled the blankets down some to let Ludwig get some air, seeing as he had hidden himself well under a few layers of blankets.

Kiku left and came back with a cool, dampened cloth. Ludwig had managed to pull the covers up a little more in his sleep, Kiku allowing it, coming over and trying to get Ludwig to roll onto his back. The man was stubborn, still trying to cling to the pillow, but with a few tries Kiku got him on his back.

Ludwig's cheeks were bright red, his face still relaxed though. Kiku set the cloth on his forehead with as much softness as he could muster, still not wanting to wake Ludwig. He preferred to do his actions without being watched.

After a few minutes he was finished, trailing over to the foot of the bed and sitting down for a moment. Ludwig was settled quite nicely in bed, Kiku proud of his good home doctoring skills. He could barely suppress a yawn that escaped his lips though, Kiku covering his own mouth as to try and stifle the noise. It was getting late already, nearing eight pm. Kiku stretched a bit before getting up, looking over Ludwig for a moment before heading off to go sleep on the living room.

It was one hell of a day already, surely tomorrow wouldn't be that bad, right?


	3. Wednesday SpendsDay

(( A/N: Ahahahaha sadly my laptop decided to break on me sooo all my hard work for the following chapters are gone ;w; now I gotta re-write, so sorry if they end up coming out slow!

Reviews are always appreciated!

Enjoy!))

The soft glow of light that greeted Kiku the following morning was quite soothing to wake up to, birds chirping away loudly outside, the air chilly around him and the fresh scent of... burning?

Kiku jolted up from his slumber on the couch, pushing himself up. He looked around in alarm until he pin pointed where the smell was coming from, the kitchen. Kiku sprang to his feet, dazed from sleep but not allowing that to slow him, stumbling along towards the smell.

Once he came face to face with the cause, he stood stiff in his place, unsure of what to think of the situation; There stood Gilbert, hunched over the stove with a pile of- well, what appeared to be- eggs and toast. He seemed to be still cooking, attempting to scrape a burnt egg off the pan with a spatula.

Gilbert raised his head from his actions as he heard Kiku, giving a big, bright grin Kiku's way. "Keeks! Man, I though you'd never wake up," Gilbert chuckled before turning back to his work. Kiku stayed silent until he breathed a sigh, coming in and turning on the fan over the stove.

"Gilbert, it is very nice to see you, but did you really need to cook..?" Kiku asked in a bit of a murmur, Gilbert breaking into a bit of laughter as he dumped the 'egg' on a plate.

"Of course I did!" Snorted the man confidently, Kiku reaching over and turning off the heat. "Gotta do something to make it up for you nannying ol' west,"

"Nannying?" Kiku asked with a raised brow, taking the mutilated pan and setting it on a different burner to let it cool. "I don't know about that,"

"Aww c'mon, you're the best nanny I've me," Gilbert replied with a grin, giving Kiku a good pat on the Asian jolted and frown lightly from this action but let it pass.

"A-as much as I'd like to thank you, right now I'm wondering how Ludwig will take the mess in his kitchen," Kiku spoke in a softer tone, Gilbert pausing before slowly paling as he realized the mess he made, muttering a swear under his breath.

"I better hit the road then," He laughed nervously, giving Kiku a gentle pat on the shoulder, finger's tensing as he could hear Ludwig down the hall, getting out of bed. Both he and Kiku nearly jumped out of their skin as they heard the smoke alarm go off in the hall.

"Well see ya bye!" Gilbert spat out all at once before bolting to the door, leaving Kiku with the aftermath as he fled the house. Kiku let out a heavy sigh, grabbing a dish towel out of the drawer and a chair from the dinning room, heading off down into the hall with it.

He stopped when he came face to face with Ludwig. Well, more or less face to chest, Kiku nearly getting run into by the German as he had made a bolt to the kitchen to see what the matter was.

They both stared at each other, Ludwig in reluctance and fear and Kiku with tire and blankness. Kiku took the quick moment to inspect Ludwig's features; a bit pale but recovering, he looked a lot more energetic, too, though that could just be adrenalin.

"Gilbert cooked," Kiku finally spoke flatly after a long moment, Ludwig growing tense and hurriedly going past Kiku, the Asian heading to the smoke detector. He put his chair under it and got on the furniture, starting to try and get it to stop beeping by fanning the smoke away with the dish towel.

In the other room, Ludwig inspected the burnt pile on a plate, frowning softly at the waste of food. He threw out the charred remains and tossed the now cooled frying pan in the sink to be washed, heading to the fridge afterwards to see what could be made.

Soon enough the fire alarm was stopped and Kiku got down from the chair, bringing it along back into the dining room. He came back into the kitchen, using his dish cloth to start wiping down the counters and stove.

"Shit," Ludwig muttered in German as he closed the fridge, frowning softly and going to the cupboard next. Kiku dumped the burnt crumbs into the garbage can, looking Ludwig's way from the murmur. Ludwig looked... embarrassed. Kiku was still just getting used to the new types of emotions that were different from 'work Ludwig', as silly as that sounded. Seeing him get embarrassed, upset, even just a little happy... it made Kiku feel good to just be able to be apart of those emotions.

Kiku perked up as Ludwig soon spoke up. "I forget to get groceries this week," Ludwig said in a flustered tone, Kiku blinked in surprise to this.

"It is alright, we can just go to a restaurant for breakfast if you want," Kiku offered, Ludwig glancing his way.

"A restaurant..? Uh, sure, what did you have in mind?" Ludwig asked curiously, Kiku shrugging lightly.

"Maybe just some fast food joint nearby," Kiku replied, thinking back to when he was driving towards home to try and remember if he saw any, Ludwig giving a little 'oh' as Kiku meant that type of restaurant.

"Well... alright, I haven't been to one in awhile," Ludwig agreed a tad reluctantly, not one for fast food. He was quite the healthy-eater, not wanting to end up like a certain few that lost their muscle to a couple quarter pounders. Kiku nodded lightly.

"Get a sweater on, I'll drive. It's too early to dress too fancy," Hummed the Asian before trotting off, Ludwig glancing towards the clock to see it read seven am. Ludwig was a tad baffled at why he wouldn't need to get changed out of his pajamas- wearing a pair of plaid pants and navy t-shirt- but since he wasn't familiar at all with going to fast food restaurants, he just did as told and hurried off to his bedroom.

Kiku was soon enough waiting by the front door, wearing what he had slept in which was a pair of stripped pj pants and a soft blue t-shirt, topped off with a brown pull over. Ludwig headed to the front door soon enough in somewhat the same outfit, pj pants and a red zip up sweater, having also shaved as to not look like too much of a mess.

The two left off, Kiku driving them off to the fast food joint just down the road. It wasn't long until they were in the drive through, not wishing to go inside. Kiku ordered a burger and some chicken nuggets while Ludwig stuck with a chicken wrap, thinking that looked the healthiest. They got a fries to split and each got a cup of hot chocolate since it was pretty cold out, Kiku parking in the parking lot so they could sit and eat there as a sort of way to 'eat out'.

The car was cold, but had warmed up from the heater and their breath. Kiku snuggled into his sweater some as he started to eat the food he bought, Ludwig munching away at his a tad eagerly from the good flavor.

Kiku kept his thoughts to himself, but felt really happy to see Ludwig have more of an appetite. He was getting better fast, though he'd still need a bit of bed rest. The German's skin had regained some color and he looked a lot less sluggish, too.

For just a moment, Kiku let a small smile tug at his lips, returning to his food. He wasn't quite sure why he kept getting so happy when Ludwig showed his true exterior around him. It made him feel warm and cozy on the inside.

After a few moments, Kiku turned his head to see Ludwig staring at him, locking eyes with the German. They stared at each other, blue eyes that resembled a warm, summer sky clashing with dark, brown eyes that resembled soft brownies or chocolate.

Kiku broke their stare, looking at his lap in embarrassment with his cheeks blushing up. Ludwig looked surprised at this action, not expecting something like that but also getting quite curious looking and a little baffled. He straightened up though, pulling his gaze away.

"Er... Kiku, can I asked you a question?" After receiving a timid nod from the Asian, Ludwig continued. "How come you get tense when you're touched? I-I mean, I hope that's not too personal or anything," The blond ask a tad hesitantly, not wishing to invade on Kiku's privacy.

Kiku was skeptical on how well he could open up to Ludwig, the raven haired man casting his stare to the side. He decided he'd just try his best and pray that Ludwig wouldn't react negatively.

"W-well... growing up, I did not receive much affection at all, not even little touches here and there, so I am not too used to how touchy people are here," The raven tried his best to explain, not budging and waiting patiently for Ludwig's response.

The German fell silent, not really expecting such a response, just thinking the Asian was shy. Well, that probably tied into it. "Ah," He muttered simply, unsure of what else to say, taking a quick moment to gather his thoughts.

"It is somewhat ridiculous, I know," Kiku butted in before Ludwig could say anything else, expecting an insult or scolding from the other male. "I'm trying to fit the culture here as best I can,"

"No, I don't expect you to fit the wear western culture perfectly," Ludwig reassured, bawling up his food's wrapper once finished and putting it in the bag in which is game in. "I can help you get used to contact, if you want," Offered the blond with hesitance, his offer being more of a question. He wasn't sure if Kiku would want his help, especially since they were just starting to get to know each other more, even if they'd known each other for quite the long time.

"Well.." Kiku muttered, astonished from the offer. After a pause, he bobbed his head up and down in a 'yes' motion. "Alright, I-I guess, if you think you can help," Kiku continued in a softer more timid tone.

Ludwig gave a stiff nod. "Right, now why don't we go do a bit of grocery shopping? As nice as this treat was, I rather not have fast food every day," The blond replied with just a hint of a smile, Kiku nodding softly with some warmth spreading in his cheeks before he turned to the wheel and started up the car once more.

The dumped out their trash before driving off, Kiku bringing them to a local super market. They both headed inside, Ludwig getting a cart and trying to think of what he needed to buy since he hadn't made a list, knowing just generally what he needed.

Kiku mostly just trailed after, having his own little basket to pick up some snacks for himself. Ludwig started simple; milk, eggs, butter and bread. He also grabbed some cream cheese and bagels, heading to the veges isles to start getting things for home cooking.

Staying somewhat distanced for now, Kiku watched as Ludwig started to gather things. He was inspecting apples, trying to find bruises or other things on them before he putting them one by one on a scale to judge their weight. Ludwig soon had a big bag of them in his cart, getting some vegetables and a few other things before moving on.

Kiku trailed after him into the deli isle, watching Ludwig pick up a pack of sausages, the brand looking to be from another country. Kiku came a bit closer, peeking at the package.

"I never knew you were one to enjoy foreign foods," Kiku commented, Ludwig glancing his way and shrugging, putting the sausages in the cart.

"I grew up with food from my homeland, Germany, like Semmelknoedel, Kaiserschmarren and Jagerschnitzel," Ludwig explained. "I always loved food like that, so these days I tend to stray from standard American food and try to replicated meals from Germany,"

Kiku nodded at the little information, though seemed a bit concerned as he noticed Ludwig starting to grow paler again. "We should probably hurry," He commented. "You don't look so good,"

Ludwig's expression faltered some. "I don't feel too well, either, oh well. We should hurry anyway," He muttered, Kiku nodding and starting off once more with the German.

"You know, if you want, when we get home I can make some apple pie," Ludwig offered, Kiku blinking in surprise at the offer but quickly nodding.

"Y-yes, that would be wonderful," Kiku replied, trying his hardest not to get all blushed up and smiley over the thought of the sweet food, Ludwig grinning a little himself as he headed along with Kiku to get the rest of what he needed.

Soon enough, they made it to check out, each buying their things before heading off. Kiku helped Ludwig carry his bags so they wouldn't have to take a cart, the two loading their things into Ludwig's trunk before heading off back home.

Upon arrival, Kiku grabbed up some bags and headed inside, Ludwig doing the same. They put everything away, Kiku heading off and getting some medication from his bag. He came back, holding the pill bottle out to Ludwig.

"Take two of these, they should help, you'll just get a bit sleepy," Kiku explained, Ludwig nodding curtly before taking the bottle and reading it, Kiku getting out some of the food he had bought, getting out a little box of macaroons.

Ludwig went to the sink, getting a glass before filling it with water. "What are those?" He asked as he spotted the somewhat colorful box in Kiku's hands, the Asian peeking up once questioned.

"Macaroons," He replied, taking out a soft brown one and taking a bite out of it. "Kind of like little cakes,"

Ludwig hummed curiously, first putting his attention on the pill, taking it quick with a few gulps of water. Kiku held out the box to Ludwig with one hand as he ate with the other.

"Try one," He offered, Ludwig tilting his head but taking the box, inspecting it a bit before opening it up. Inside, there were 11 different colored little biscuits, there being a list of flavors on the inside top of the box. Ludwig read them over before choosing a light green one- pistachio - and taking a bite out of it, setting the box down.

"Mmf, these are good," The German commented as he ate, Kiku beaming just a little from Ludwig seeming to enjoy the confectionery.

"We can split them," Kiku offered, Ludwig nodding a little with a 'thank you' as he finished off the one he had.

After some snacking, Ludwig went about making the pie and starting up some other foods for dinner, Kiku relaxing in the living room for the while, messing around on his phone. It wasn't until an hour or so later that he was disrupted from his lazing about.

"Hello little birdie~!" Giggled the familiar Prussian voice as Gilbert reached over the couch and gave Kiku's cheeks a pinch, making him flinch in surprise.

"G-Gilbert? Where did you come from?" Kiku replied, trying to pull the Prussian's hands off of his cheeks. Gilbert pulled his own hands off, wrapping his arms around Kiku's neck.

"Can't pay one of my favorite co-worker a visit?" Gilbert cooed as he rested his head on top of the Asian's, grinning from ear to ear. He reached down and took Kiku's hands in his own, the size difference almost making him squeal.

"You've got the cutest itty-bitty hands~!" Chirped the Prussian as he nuzzled Kiku's head, Kiku frozen in place as his hands were rubbed at by the larger's. Kiku had seen Gilbert do the same to Feliciano, he hadn't expected to be in this position, though he was disturbed from his frozen state as he was plucked off the couch.

The Prussian held him up with ease, giving his usual round of laughter as he turned Kiku around to hold him bridal style.

"Gotcha~" He snickered, Kiku putting his hands to Gilbert's chest and trying to push out of his grasp.

"G-Gilbert put me down!" He yelped, cheeks darkening with blush. Gilbert just gave more laughter at how fast Kiku got embarrassed, sticking his tongue out at him.

"Little birdie is too uptight~ " Gilbert mused as he swayed with Kiku in his arms, the Asian struggling still with a disgruntled look.

"G-Gilbert," Kiku somewhat whined as his struggles faltered, Gilbert's grip being too strong for him to escape. He could feel the hard muscles beneath him, securing him like padlocks. Gilbert merely giggled on, though jerked as he was poked on the shoulder.

He turned on his heel, coming face to face with a not-so-pleased Ludwig. He paled further than his already white skin would go, taking a stiff step back. He pulled up a quick grin to try and be confident.

"What? Didn't know my lil' bro could even get jealous," Gilbert laughed, Ludwig's big-bad atmosphere faltering as blush covered his cheeks, Kiku already as red as his cheeks could be.

"I am not, put Kiku down," Ludwig snapped unhappily, Gilbert sticking out his tongue defiantly. "Gilbert," The larger persisted stubbornly.

"I thought you had it for the Vargas kid," Frowned the Albino, Ludwig freezing up and blushing harder. Gilbert swung his arms back before tossing Kiku to Ludwig with a little 'Catch~' Kiku yelling in fright and surprise.

Ludwig flinched in shock, diving forwards a step and catching Kiku with ease, holing him bridal style like Gilbert had. The room was enveloped in a thick silence, Ludwig's face ever so slowly growing as red as Kiku.

Their position was frozen, one of Kiku's hands on Ludwig's shoulder, the other on his chest. He could feel the muscle, hard but not a bad hard, skin giving it a bit of a soft feeling as well. His arms were a lot thicker than Gilbert's, and his heart was beating right near Kiku's ear, heat radiating off of Ludwig (either naturally or from his illness, Kiku couldn't tell).

Ludwig could feel Kiku's frail form in his arms, the Asian's slender body held safe in his grasp. Kiku was somewhat cold, to his surprise, wondering if that was a natural thing for him. The position was a bit awkward, but for some odd reason.. having Kiku in his arms barely fazed him (past the slight embarrassment).

Gilbert broke their silence after the long pause. "Jeez, you two look like a fairytale couple," He grinned.

...

It was minutes before Gilbert could feel the sensation in his lip, the throbbing and the slight metallic taste that stained his taste buds not too great of a feeling. He knew very well that it was all his fault, though, his younger brother had been already on the verge of an embarrassment break down before his comment.

Gilbert drove home with a busted lip and bloody nose after Ludwig had slapped him upside the head just a little too hard and he stumbled into a wall. Though his mouth was curved into a smile, knowing what he had in mind to do with the two now.

...

"Are you sure you're alright?"

Ludwig sat on the sofa, a hand to his brow as he tried to settle. He had a bit of an out burst and his head hurt plenty now, Kiku having just arrived back with a cold, damp cloth for him. Upon being asked the question, he nodded softly.

"_Yes,_" He said in his mother tongue, taking the cloth once offered. "Thank you,"

Kiku merely nodded. "You should head back to bed soon, its almost eight o'clock, anyway," The raven hummed, Ludwig nodding some and dabbing at his hot face with the cloth. He soon got up, heading off into the kitchen to finish up his cooking, putting all the food away in the oven and fridge. He wasn't hungry, but told Kiku to eat whatever he wished, heading off to bed himself.

Kiku sat himself down on the couch with a piece of the apple pie Ludwig made, shuddering with delight from how good it tasted. He was surprised at how well the man could cook, seeing as he was usually working, so whenever he picked up cooking must have been in his earlier years.

Once Kiku finished it off, he brought his plate back to the kitchen before laying down on the couch, not hungry for much else. Ever so slowly he fell to sleep, his thoughts pestering him for an hour or so.

Did he... enjoy... being held like that?


	4. Thursday Rainday

**(( A/N: ahh godness I'd like to say thank you to all of you readers~! W/ I'm VERY happy from all the help and love I've been getting! You're all so kind~! *w***

**Chapters might be a tad slow since schools here *gags* and sadly I've got immune system problems so I get sick a lot =w= and to add onto the pile, my new computer's keyboard really suckkksss bleehh its too big ;o;**  
**  
wahh sorry for the long A/N! Here's the story!**  
**  
Reviews are always appreciated, thank you all for the previous reviews!**

**Enjoy!))**

The ivory, cashmere blanket that surrounded Kiku was enough to make him want to sleep the whole day away. Plushy, fluffy, somewhat thin, but still kept him warm enough. The soft 'pitter patter' against the glass was just enough to wake him, the raven slowly opening his deep brown eyes.

Curled up on his side, wrapped up like a little burrito, Kiku closed his eyes for a moment to groan and strain to sit up. He could feel the bruises he had were painless now, lifting up a slender hand to probe at them lightly before deeming them practically gone.

He pushed himself up, glancing around the room. It was surprisingly a bit dark still, even though the clock on the wall read 7 am. Though a distant clap of thunder caught his attention, Kiku peeking to the picture window and through its spaced out blinds to see the thick clouds that covered the snowy sky. A thunderstorm in the winter like this seemed odd, but Kiku didn't question it, happy it wasn't more snow.

Kiku ran his fingers through his hair, deciding it was fine time he took a shower. Climbing to his feet, he lumbered off to the bathroom, peeking inside to make sure no one was there. Surely Ludwig wouldn't mind if he took a quick shower.

He was in and out within ten minutes, just long enough to get washed off. He stepped out and glanced around, taking a towel off the shelf and using it to dry his hair, soon after wrapping it around his waist. He found the towel to be oddly large, just assuming Ludwig bought bigger towels because he was a bigger guy.

It took Kiku a few seconds to realize it, but soon he noticed he hadn't brought his bag with him, meaning he had to walk through that freezing hall with nothing but a towel to get his clothes. Kiku couldn't suppress his groan, not up for it, but also not wanting to walk around naked in Ludwig's house.

Mustering up courage, Kiku turned to the bathroom door, adjusting his towel a little more as he opened up the entrance.

...

Maybe he should've waited just a _little_ longer.

"L-Ludwig!" Stammered Kiku in surprise, letting go of the door and pulling up the towel to cover up. The sleepy German was almost wide awake now as he had been just about to knock, not thinking Kiku was inside. His pale cheeks turned crimson, almost instantly, Ludwig gabbing in his stupor before his mind snapped back into action and he averted his gaze politely with a quick 's-sorry,' in his native tongue.

Of course, Kiku wasn't entirely nude, but Ludwig did get a good glimpse of a few things he felt he shouldn't have. He tried to calm his own embarrassment as Kiku stammered a 'thank you' before hurrying past him, taking off back to the living room.

Once Ludwig heard the light footsteps fade off, he hurriedly slipped into the bathroom, closing the door. He sighed, leaning against it as he tried to think. He was already well aware that he was a bisexual, that was clear as day to him since the start of middle school. He never thought he'd be falling for his secretary, though. Of all people...

Well, after he gave it some thought, it didn't seem that odd. They had been together as business partners for a good six years, even if those years were mostly work wise. He also can't say he hadn't become at least a little jealous whenever his brother would try to maul the Asian male with love and affection.

Ludwig gave his head a shake, puffing out a heavy breath. He didn't want to act on any ideas that would screw up any relations between him and Kiku. He would just tell Kiku that he's feeling much better and that he could go home... that would work, right? He wasn't sure but would give it a shot. Besides, Kiku probably wanted to be home by now.

He silently stepped out of the bathroom, hearing Kiku in the living room still. Ludwig headed off and stopped in the entry way to the living room, opening his mouth to speak only to shut it immediately.

Kiku was bundled up under the blankets, dressed in a fleecy little sweater and a pair of jogging pants. He was trying to keep his teeth from chattering, looking as if he was sitting in a freezer. Ludwig was bewildered as to why he'd be acting like this, seeing as it was decently warm in the house. It took him only a moment to realize what was more than likely going on.

He stepped forwards and Kiku shied back, much to Ludwig's surprise. He hesitantly came the rest the way over, Kiku looking a little uneasy as he did so. The German reached out, pressing his appendage to the Asian's forehead. He felt Kiku shudder along with the blazing heat that radiated off of his forehead.

"Y-you're running a fever!" Sputtered Ludwig in astonishment, Kiku growing just a little less surprised than Ludwig as the blond brought his hand to himself. Ludwig seemed to pause, looking caught on what to do.

After what seemed to be an eternity to Ludwig, The German went with his gut. In a swoop, he gathered Kiku up in his arms, the smaller man giving a small gasp from being startled. Ludwig merely hurried off, glad Kiku wasn't squirming around in his arms.

Ludwig gently set Kiku in his own bed, the sheets still warm from when he was in there. He made quick work to bundled Kiku up in blankets, Kiku not budging. The redness in his cheeks could be passed off as illness, having tried his best to settle his embarrassment.

"Don't move," Ludwig half demanded half requested, not entirely bold with his words as he hurried off to the kitchen. Kiku did as told, his shuddering going down some from the blankets.

"Here," Ludwig huffed as he came back into the room, setting down a cup of water, pill bottle and a plate with pie and a fork on it. "I-It said not to take the pill on an empty stomach,"

Kiku paused for a moment before replying. "Thank you, Ludwig, I'm sorry to be a bother," Muttered the Asian in a breathy tone as he sat up, taking the pie into his lap. Ludwig shook his head 'no', giving Kiku's shoulder a pat.

"You're not a bother, you have done the same for me since Tuesday," Ludwig murmured as he read the bottle to make sure that there wasn't anything else needed. He didn't take medication often, so he didn't want to do something wrong and end up making Kiku more sick. Kiku's cheeks lit up a bit more, unsure why he was getting so embarrassed. He just shook it off before starting to eat.

The blond got himself nestled in the sheets beside him, getting cozy, having retrieved a book from the bedside table to read quietly. After Kiku finished off his pie, he set down the plate and took one of the pills, soon after nestling down in the sheets. The thunder rolled outside, a mix of hail and rain joining the noise. It was muffled, nothing disruptive, Kiku gazing up at the white ceiling.

Those noises were... soothing. It gave him something to focus on while he tried to get some rest. The Asian's eyes slowly fell closed, starting to listen to the other noises around; the sound of book pages turning, Ludwig's quiet breathing, the smallest creeks of the house... It was just so homey that Kiku could barely hide a small smile.

He was starting to love that sensation of having someone by his side, even if they weren't even interacting. The emotion he felt was warm, tender, sense like his chest was filling with a soothing heat. He slowly passed off into slumber with this feeling, leaving the corners of his mouth upturned in quiet happiness.

Ludwig peeked over at Kiku, trying to tell if he were asleep or not. After a few pokes and nudges to confirm, he gently checked the smaller male's temperature, feeling the still decently hot heat coming from his forehead.

As he moved his hand to brushed back Kiku's hair, Ludwig couldn't help but feel bad. He unintentionally passed on his illness to Kiku, knowing how bad it felt to be nauseous and feverish. He petted the raven's hair absentmindedly, making sure not to disturb him from his slumber. He was trying to ease any ache that the man might be having at that moment.

Ludwig stayed like that for a while, delving in his thoughts as he once more tried to figure out what to do with his romantic feelings towards Kiku- aka, wonder if he should actually tell Kiku or just pass this all off as some silly crush. He WANTED to get the information off his chest, but felt both too shy and too fearful of rejection and distrust afterwards if rejected.

Ludwig was soon on his feet again, deciding he'd cook some for Kiku. He- as quietly as he could- put his book away and left to go figure out something that would be good and not mess with Kiku's unwell system.

A couple of hours passed, Kiku sleeping most of the day away from his fever. The rain had eased up a little and the thunder had long since left. The Asian peeked open his eyes, greeted with the warm blankets around him, the dimly lit area and the somewhat distant aroma of something good cooking. It made Kiku breath a sigh, getting used to such a calm atmosphere without hesitation. It was lovely, he just wanted to stay there forever in Ludwig's home, enjoying his presence and cooking...

Kiku paused at his own thoughts. Did he really want to stay in Ludwig's house...? Just earlier this week the man nearly sent him to the hospital after mistaking him for an intruder, and had recently busted Gilbert's lip over teasing... It was a bit hard to sort through the thoughts. He felt a bit alarmed but he did remember that Ludwig was pretty much asleep on his feet from how ill he was the past couple days, so he could let one or two mishaps slide; But... this man was his _boss_. If he got rejected, he could possibly get fired or worse. _But_... Ludwig had been so nice to him, he truly seemed like he wouldn't take it badly.

Once he felt the throb of another approaching headache, Kiku snapped his eyes shut and groaned, pressing his palm to where the pain was most to hopefully help stop it. He was contradicting himself and that was enough to put his brain in knots in his groggy state.

"Kiku?" The gentle voice roused the sick man, peeking towards the door. Ludwig stood there, half out of the room, wearing an apron and one oven mitt. Ludwig gave him a small smile, packed with a blow of sweetness that Kiku wasn't prepared for.

"Dinner's almost done, do you feel well enough to eat?" Asked the German, Kiku giving a slow nod. Ludwig left after, the raven laying on the pillow once more as he tried to deal with the aftermath; Aka, a face colored crimson, slight shaking, a tightness in his chest and an embarrassed stupor that made him see stars. He covered his face with both of his hands, feeling the heat that radiated off of him. He wasn't going to say those were the symptoms of-

_Ok_. He won't say out loud, but he might be feeling something for Ludwig. Something. Not anything serious. That could all just be an overreaction from how sick he was. Yeah. It had to be. Or some stupid, silly middle-school crush that would go away in a day or two.

After his stirred thoughts relaxed into peaceful silence, the Asian laying there for a bit more time before pushing himself out of the blankets. He stretched his arms, popping his shoulder blades before trotting towards the door.

Kiku flinched as a figure met him in the doorway, quickly giving him a shove to knock him a few feet back before slipping into the room themselves, shutting the door after himself. Kiku nearly tripped over his own two feet, catching himself and snapping his gaze to the intruder.

He recognized the man in an instant; Gilbert. He was starting to wonder how the man got in and out of the house so easily without Ludwig even knowing. The albino had a finger pressed to his lips as he ushered Kiku over to the bed, Kiku jerking and trying to get away.

"G-Gilbert what are you doing?!" Kiku snapped, murmuring from Gilbert giving him a 'shush'. The man sat Kiku down quickly. He started to pick at Kiku, shoving his palm to the Asian's forehead and unbuttoning his sweater some. Kiku was quick to grow flustered and shove at Gilbert, the man clinging to him.

"Quit shoving, I'm trying to help," Gilbert snapped, Kiku looking bewildered.

"W-what do you mean help?! Get your away from me!" He snapped, keeping quiet though as he didn't want to get Ludwig involved unless necessary. Gilbert pouted as he soon just pushed Kiku over a tad roughly and pinned him down, stuffing his own finger in his mouth and under his tongue.

Kiku gasped and started to thrash, kicking his legs and squirming. Gilbert took his finger back to himself and sat down on Kiku's hips, digging around in his pockets. Kiku grunted from the weight, panting from his struggles.

"G-Get off! Y-you're too heavy!" Kiku snapped, Gilbert sticking out his tongue.

"Muscle's heavier than fat, birdie~" Gilbert chimed as he soon got out a bottle. He dumped a few pills from it into his hand, taking one and holding it out to Kiku.

"Eat it or it will go down a more painful way, if west finds me in here like this I'll be in a hospital for weeks," Gilbert huffed, Kiku turning away, the busted lip on Gilbert still somewhat visible but having mostly healed.

"G-Gilbert, what are you doing!?" Kiku stammered, not liking the answer he had in mind. Gilbert snorted from his reaction, not wanting to waste time so he jammed his hand into the raven's mouth.

"Oh please, I'm not some sexual beast, I'm just here as a little home-doctor since Ludwig can't even help heal a common cold on his own," Gilbert explained, Kiku gagging as the pill was forced down his throat. The German recoiled, wiping saliva off on his pants before closing the bottle.

"H-how did you know I was sick?" Kiku gagged, throat sore and feeling nauseous once more. Gilbert patted Kiku's hair before shoving it into the pillow to get him to 'relax'.

"Luddy messaged me about it, he felt bad about spreading his germs to you," Gilbert informed, moving his hands to be on Kiku's temples, starting to massage them. His rough movements had eased enough to be soothing with this motion, Kiku slowly growing limp.

"You did not need to come," Kiku informed in a murmur, Gilbert sticking out his tongue.

"He gave you extra-strength Tylenol and expected you to get better just on that," The Albino chided. "It would've taken you a week to feel better. So, I gave you some Ibuprofen and if you sit still I'll go get you a wet cloth so you don't smother in your own heat," He continued to gently message the Asian, who was reluctant to accept all the help but it seemed it was going to be given to him without choice. So he just gave a sot nod, Gilbert smiling as he slipped off of Kiku and onto the floor, marching off to go get said cloth.

He was back in a blink of an eye, gently laying the cloth on Kiku's forehead. "I'm here for more reasons than health, birdie~" Gilbert soon chimed, still hushed, Kiku raising a brow as Gilbert sat himself down on the side of the bed near Kiku's legs, cracking his knuckles.

"So, as you and Ludwig's third wheel I suggest you attempt to be a little sweeter to him," Gilbert hummed as he tilted backwards on the bed, Kiku jolting some.

"W-What?! Third wheel!?" The Asian stammered, making the other roll his eyes.

"Don't give me that, it's more than obvious that you two are meant for each other," Gilbert huffed, laying himself down on Kiku's legs. "Two love birds, too shy to tell each other their true feelings~ Its making me barf," Gilbert cooed before giggling, Kiku gawking in embarrassment.

"T-That's not how it is," The Asian tried to sputter, earning a hush from Gilbert as the German got cozy.

"Ludwig's has had the hots for you ever since he beat you up in earlier this week," Reassured Gilbert, making the other frown. "I'm more than sure you like him, too,"

"W-Well..." Kiku muttered in embarrassment, Gilbert grinning and rolling onto his stomach.

"_Weeellll?_"

"...I-I like him a little! I'm not going to risk my job over a crush, though," Kiku snapped, Gilbert snickering happily.

"See! I knew it, and you're not going to be risking your job, you just have to approach him right," The German reassured, giving Kiku a pat before climbing up to sit near the raven's top half.

"Now, listen here, I've got some advice," Gilbert purred as he leaned down, starting to whisper to Kiku. The Asian listened, growing more and more red-faced at Gilbert's suggestions.

Soon enough, Gilbert pulled away and slipped off onto the floor, tossing the bottle of Ibuprofen onto Kiku's chest. "Use these in six hours if the pain comes back," He explained as he trotted over to the window. "I have to hit the road, Ludwig's probably wondering where you're at,"

Kiku sat up, taking the cloth off. He jolted as he realized what Gilbert was up to. "D-Don't go through the window, we're on the second floor,"

Gilbert shrugged, opening the window up. "I'll live~" he chirped, slipping outside. Kiku bolted to his feet to stop the man but the German was gone before he could get there, sliding down the side of the house and landing in the bushes below. He slipped out of them, brushing the slush and snow off of him rain starting to dampen his clothes. He just trudge off to go get in his car, Kiku hesitantly closing the window.

He took a deep breath, nervousness making his body tremor a tiny bit. He came back over to the bedside, taking a seat, thinking over what he was told.

Well, time to give it a shot.


End file.
